Page 128 of A Whisper of Cinders

I turn to Siri and walk until I stand next to her once more.

She lets out a surprised huff of air and the violet in her eyes seems to glow. “Have you noticed yet?” she whispers.

“Noticed what?” I ask, lowering my voice as well.

She holds out her hand above one of the smaller plants and tiny bolts of light fall from her palm onto the plant. “I am close to nature. All fae are, but it’s different with me. I can feel and understand the plants, know exactly what they need or don’t need for that matter. I’m not as powerful as Ms Bloomhart, she is nature. But,” she removes her hand and the plant has already grown twice its size. “As you can see, I can give a plant the small push that it might need.”

“That is amazing, Siri, thank you.”

She smiles, the purple in her eyes still glowing. “But you on the other hand, nature somehow seems to grow without you even noticing it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Move your hand above one of the plants, just like I did.”

I do as she says and watch as the plant grows, but much quicker than when Siri did it and the leaves, twigs and vines seem to move towards my hand, as if they long for my touch.

“Nature grows when you’re around, and it lives for you.”

The leaves tickle my palm and I watch as one of the vines swirls around my fingers. “What does that mean?”

“I am not sure.”

Two hands land on my shoulder and turn me away from the windowsill, the plants reluctantly letting me go. “Enough with the plants already. It’s time to find yourself an outfit.”

I don’t know for how long we go on, but the sky already turns dark and someone has manifested some food to survive the first wave of hunger. I’ve lost count of how many outfits I’ve tried on, but I feel like I am their personal dress up doll.

I settle for a pair of dark grey, sparkling trousers that seem to catch the light with every small movement I make and a mesh black top with long sleeves that I have to wear with a black bandeaux top underneath.

The discussion of the shoes is still ongoing, but I cannot see myself with the pair of heels that Neo is currently holding. Yes, they look good and they aren’t too uncomfortable. But I nearly twisted my ankle as soon as I took one step forward.

“I’m sorry, Neo, but I think I’m going with the loafers.”

She sighs and hangs down her head in defeat. “Fine. Although breaking an ankle might get you some spicy time with some hot males.” She wiggles her brows at me and I throw a pillow she easily catches “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

I put all the clothes back into the closet, when Siri and Neo say the exact same thing at the same time. “It’s time.”

“Okay, we’ll see you later.”

They wave us goodbye and I turn to Ami. “Time for what exactly?”

“Since they are Eilistrean priestesses, the pull of the moon is immensely strong. They need to prepare for the ceremony,” she explains and I nod. “I feel it too, not to get ready for the ceremony, but the shift in power. Don’t you?”

If I really focus, I sense something, but it’s very faint.

“Hm, not really no.”

“Maybe it’s because your powers are fire related, so your connection could be stronger with the sun instead.”

“Yeah, that might be it.”

Ami eventually heads back to her room, telling me she will knock on my door when we need to leave.

I count to ten as the door closes and try to hear if she has reached her own room, but don’t hear a single thing. Fae hearing might be a thing, but not for me.

My focus is pulled back to the plants, and with half a thought I watch how they grow, until I can’t even see my windowsill anymore and the plants have created their own little forest. Right inside of my room.

Peculiar indeed.